


Waiting

by allwaswell16



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Bonding, Childhood Friends, Christmas, Engagement, Epilogue, Fantasizing, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Harry Styles Calls Louis Tomlinson Pet Names, Homeless Harry, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Injured Harry, Love Letters, M/M, Major Character Injury, Marriage Proposal, Masturbation, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Nesting, OT5 Friendship (One Direction), Oblivious Harry, Oblivious Louis Tomlinson, Omega Louis, POV Harry, Pining, Protective Harry, Rings, Sexual Tension, Smut, Soulmates, Time Skips, Unexpected Heat, don't worry it's not a really bad injury, except not really you'll see, oblivious idiots, that tag is there for the birthday girl, well just one big one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:47:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25224121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allwaswell16/pseuds/allwaswell16
Summary: Louis Tomlinson was Harry’s omega, of this Harry had always been sure. Unfortunately for Harry, Louis seemed to think they were just best friends. The six weeks that Harry has to live with Louis were going to be rough.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 128
Kudos: 1048
Collections: Week Fifty-Nine





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LadyLondonderry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLondonderry/gifts).



> Happy birthday, Emmu! I tried my best to fit in some of your favorite things! Someday, we will be together again in person to hold each other and cry as we watch a member of One Direction on stage again. The dream. :') Hope you had the most wonderful day!
> 
> This fic was written as part of an ongoing challenge using the book 1000 Feelings For Which There Are No Names for our prompts. To read the other fics written in this challenge, click [here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/ShortFic_Challenge_For_Which_There_Is_No_Name/works). You can find more information on the challenge [here](https://1000feelingsfics.tumblr.com/) and to reblog the masterpost on tumblr, you can click [here](https://lululawrence.tumblr.com/post/159679804243/1000-feelings-for-which-there-are-no-names-prompt).
> 
> My prompt was: #57. The disillusionment of not belonging to someone’s intimate circle after all.
> 
> Thank you to my amazing beta [Nic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YesIsAWorld/pseuds/YesIsAWorld) and amazing Brit picker [Roni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reminiscingintherain/pseuds/reminiscingintherain)! Thanks so much for coming to my aid so quickly!
> 
> Thank you to the mods of this challenge, Tabby and Sus, for keeping things going after so long! I had fun getting back into it!

Harry remembered exactly where he was when he found out Louis had presented as an omega.

“Where’s Lou?”

Their friends turned to stare at him for a moment before quickly turning away. Harry’s bag slumped at his feet just outside Sixth Form. His heart pounded out of rhythm. Was something wrong?

“What’s going on? Is he sick?” He tried to hide the panic in his voice, but he wasn’t entirely sure he was successful. 

Zayn rubbed the back of his neck. “Ehm—” 

Liam looked at the ground, scrubbing the toe of his shoe into the dirt. “Not exactly.”

“Presented, didn’t he?” Zayn muttered.

“Oh.”

Well, that was better than him being sick. His heart rate picked back up at the thought of Louis presenting. He swallowed hard before asking the question he’d been waiting to ask since the day he’d presented as an alpha nearly two years ago. “So is he—did he—”

“He’s an omega,” Liam said in a rush as though it were important the words reach him as quickly as possible. 

He had to stifle the growl that rose up in his throat at the thought of another alpha, even though it was just Liam, knowing his omega was in heat. Christ. Louis wasn’t his omega, but his alpha didn’t seem to realise that and never had. For as long as he could remember, well before either of them had presented, Louis had always been _his_. His best friend, his constant companion, his confidante. His, his, his.

And yet, Harry had apparently been the last to know Louis had presented.

So the day that Harry discovered Louis had presented as an omega was also the first time he’d felt a bit disillusioned by their friendship. Weren’t they as close as he thought they were?

He shook it off. It was fine. This was good news that Louis had presented. Louis and Zayn had both resigned themselves to either being betas or very late bloomers. 

Nothing wrong with being a beta of course. It wouldn’t have mattered to Harry at all if Louis had been a beta. Nothing could ever change how Harry felt about Louis. He’d been in love with him his entire life. But now, surely, Louis would see how right they were for each other. Now that Louis knew he was an omega, he’d finally see that Harry was his alpha.

*

_Five years later…_

Harry flung an arm over his eyes as he listened to Liam tell the story. 

“And then, I said, mate, let me carry some of the bags, but you know how stubborn Harry gets—”

Someone snorted. Probably Louis.

“So I picked up one of them bags at his feet, not even one of the ones in his arms, mind you, but he tried to take it out of my hands and tripped and then just—bam, bam, bam, bam—all the way down the flight of stairs. Scared the piss out of me. I ran down the stairs after him, and he’s just groaning and moaning about his leg, so I called 999 and it turned out he’d broken his leg.”

Harry lifted his arm to glare at the plaster cast covering his right leg, which was currently propped up on the sofa that Zayn and Louis had dragged in when their neighbour had put it out with the rubbish a few years back.

Harry looked over at his group of friends. Liam was standing, still animated from telling the story. Zayn yawned. Louis crossed his arms and frowned at him as though he’d fallen down the stairs on purpose. 

And Niall looked absolutely enthralled by the entire thing. “So how the fuck are you going to get around on that thing? Can’t go up all those stairs anymore now, can you? Told you alphas you were idiots for thinking you didn’t need a lift in your building.”

Harry chewed his bottom lip. They’d apparently reached the crux of the matter.

“About that—” Liam began.

“I’m homeless.” Harry shrugged. “At least for the next six to eight weeks that I have this cast on.”

Louis’ eyebrows shot up in realisation. “Oh.”

Zayn looked more awake than he had the entire time since Harry and Liam had arrived. 

Liam looked down at him as if he were a child. “He can’t get up and down the stairs to our flat like this. And there’s no lift as Niall said—”

“So you’ll move in with us for now,” Niall declared.

“I can go to my mum’s,” Harry said, half-hearted at best. This was, after all, why he and Liam were here, to ask Zayn, Niall, and Louis if Harry could stay for the time being. 

Louis snorted again. “How will you get to work if you’re staying at your mum’s? She’s nearly an hour away. And it’s not like you can drive with that thing on your leg.”

A brief look passed between Niall and Louis over the top of Zayn’s head. 

Niall cleared his throat. “You know what might work—”

“I mean, if Zayn doesn’t mind—” Louis said.

Zayn sat up straighter. He looked fully alert now. “Wait, what—”

“Well, if Harry’s room would just be empty—” Louis shrugged.

“And their flat is closer to Zayn’s studio—” Niall added.

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind at all if we traded flatmates for a bit!” Liam shot Zayn a sunny smile as Zayn’s lips pressed into a firm line.

Interesting. Something interesting was going on there. He really hated being left out of the loop, but it was clear Niall and Louis had been having a silent conversation between the two of them.

Niall clapped his hands together. “Well, it’s settled then. Welcome to your new home!”

  
  


It was driving Harry mad to watch everyone else lug his belongings into Zayn’s bedroom and carry out Zayn’s things as he just sat on the sofa unable to help or do much of anything really. Louis in particular shouldn’t be carrying boxes as heavy as the one he was currently struggling with. For fuck’s sake, someone should help him.

He gritted his teeth. If he said anything, Louis would probably drop the box and smack him upside the head for being a knothead. Not that it mattered. Louis gave him a look when he came back out of the bedroom that meant he knew exactly what Harry had been thinking. 

A puff of frustration left his lips as he leaned his head back against the cushions, but he snapped back upright a few minutes later when Louis suddenly appeared in front of him with a cup of tea that he accepted gratefully.

“Thanks.”

“You know I can smell your frustration a mile away.”

Harry shrugged one shoulder. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just means you smell like burnt lemongrass. Like the curry’s caught fire.”

The honk of laughter that escaped his lips was one he could never control around Louis. Louis' lips curved into a smile, and his eyes crinkled up in the corners at the sound. However much Harry laughed at everything Louis said, he knew Louis loved that he was able to cause it. 

“Better?”

Harry nodded. 

“Just let us take care of you, yeah? I know you’re all independent and alpha-y, but we’re your friends, Hazza. It’s okay to rely on us a tiny bit when you’re injured.” Louis gave him a smile and a friendly pat on the shoulder before walking back over to help Zayn pack. 

A small flutter erupted in his stomach at the thought of Louis taking care of him. He’d really thought he’d gotten a handle on his feelings for Louis after all these years of knowing Louis would never see him as anything but his friend. But whenever he wasn’t in complete control, his feelings slipped right back into his thoughts. 

And now here he was moving in with him. Sure, Niall would be around as well, but he had never intended to torture himself with such close proximity to Louis. Just six to eight weeks though. He could make it six to eight weeks.

Louis squatted down to help pick up a box, his gorgeously curved arse on display through the thin fabric of his joggers. The sweet scent of a rosewater cinnamon sticky bun wove through the air, probably because Louis was perspiring a bit with the exertion of moving things around. Harry knew that scent better than anything else in the world. He’d studied its essence since the first time he ever had the good fortune to smell it.

Harry pulled a pillow over his face. It was going to be a long six weeks. 

  
  


Two days after moving in Harry faced a new problem. 

He was going back to work, but he desperately needed to shower. He vaguely recalled some type of covering he could buy, but it was a bit late for that. Louis found him attempting to rummage through the kitchen cupboards looking for something that might work.

“What are you looking for, mate?”

“Plastic bags of some sort. I need to wrap up my leg to take a shower.”

“Oh.” Louis’ nose crinkled in thought. “Go sit down. I’ll look.”

Harry gratefully collapsed into the nearest kitchen chair, watching as Louis opened a few drawers before finding something suitable. 

“Do we need something to tape it up or summat?”

“Ehm—I guess rubber bands maybe? Or some strong tape?”

Louis rummaged around a bit more before holding a few rubber bands aloft in triumph. Harry took them and attempted to pull the plastic up and around the cast, fumbling with the rubber bands. 

“Here, let me.”

Louis knelt down beside him, taking the plastic and carefully wrapping it around his cast and then affixing the rubber bands securely above it. His deft fingers brushed against Harry’s skin, sending waves of sensation through him as he tried not to think about his best friend doing something else knelt down between his legs. 

When Louis stood back up and gave him a brief smile, he realised he’d been holding his breath, sending him into a coughing fit as he gasped. Fuck, he was a mess. 

“You alright, Hazza?” Louis thumped him on the back as though he’d just swallowed wrong or something.

“Yep, yes, fine.”

Louis eyed him critically. “No offense, mate. But how the fuck are you going to take a shower like that?”

“They told me to use a chair to try and keep my leg out of the water. Or to—well—”

“Well what?”

“Ehm—have someone give me a sponge bath.”

“Oh.” Louis’ face flushed a lovely shade of pink. “Think we’ve got a lawn chair around here somewhere.”

As Louis scurried off to presumably find a chair, Harry blew out a breath. Do not think about Louis giving you a sponge bath, he repeated to himself in his head. 

“Okay, Hazza!” Louis called from the bathroom. “I got your chair in here.”

Harry hobbled in with his crutches to see that Louis has managed to wedge a lawn chair into the small shower. 

“Thanks, Lou.”

“Mhm.” Louis frowned. “How are you gonna get in there safely?”

“Ehm—”

“Just—I’ll help you get in there and then you can pull the curtain and get undressed and hand me your clothes. I’ll wait here for you with a towel.”

Harry wanted to protest. The last thing he needed was Louis standing a thin curtain’s distance away from his naked body. But there was no defying Louis once he’d solved a problem. He was already trying to help Harry into the shower.

As he shimmied his shorts and pants and t-shirt off, he thought briefly about how badly they probably reeked of his scent after wearing them for two days, but he tried not to dwell on it as he handed his clothes over to Louis around the edge of the curtain. He heard Louis cough just before he let the full spray of the shower hit him. 

Fuck, it felt good. Even sitting in this stupid lawn chair it still felt fucking fantastic. 

“Hey, Lou?”

“Mm?”

“Could you hand me my shampoo? Forgot to bring it in here.”

“‘Course.” 

Had Louis’ voice squeaked? A hand appeared around the side with a bottle of his shampoo that he gladly lathered up his hair with. He let out a huge sigh of pleasure at having clean hair that he’d almost forgotten Louis was still in the bathroom with him until his scent started to fill the room. It must have been the steam or something bringing it out, but he nearly groaned at the delicious scent, cinnamon and sugar mixed with a hint of something almost floral. 

“Almost done?”

“Yeah, yeah, almost done.” 

He needed to get out of here. When he turned the tap off, a towel immediately appeared, which he took and dried off with before handing it back and exchanging it for his clothes. He was loath to put back on his dirty clothes, but he’d forgotten to bring in any new ones. 

When he opened the curtain, it was to quite a sight. Louis’ scent hit him even harder, and his skin was pink and glowing from the steam. 

“Thanks for the help, Lou.”

Louis shrugged. “That’s what friends are for.”

  
  


By the second week of his stay at Louis’, Harry had begun to settle in a bit more. 

Niall and Louis took turns carpooling to work at the marketing firm they both worked at, and it wasn’t far out of their way to drop Harry off at his own job at a biotech company. Louis set up a stool next to the shower, so they didn’t have a repeat experience of Louis standing just outside the curtain. And Louis had taken over the cooking duties with instruction from Harry.

When Sunday morning rolled around, he was left to his own devices. Louis had headed off to his omega football league game, and Niall had gone to the shops to buy food for a Sunday roast. 

He scrolled his phone and had just flopped backwards onto the sofa in boredom when the door swung open to reveal a very hot and sweaty Louis. 

“Hiya, Hazza! We won!” Louis smiled so hard his eyes nearly shut. It would be incredibly endearing if not for the absolutely sinful smell rolling off of him. Louis stripped his jersey up and over his head, and the smell intensified so much that Harry flattened a palm against himself. 

“Ace.” He hoped his voice didn’t come out as strangled as it felt.

“Just gonna take a shower,” Louis called out over his shoulder as he walked down the short hallway. 

“Great,” Harry mumbled. That’s just what he needed. The scent of Louis still hung in the air, and now he was imagining him stripping off the rest of his clothes, stepping into the steamy shower, lathering up his nude—

The door banged open again, and Harry nearly fell off the sofa. 

“Fucking hell, ‘course he’s in the shower when I need help bringing in groceries. Not like you’re much help, no offense, mate.”

“None taken.”

Niall set down the bags in his arms and headed back out to the car, which is when Harry decided he needed to make a break for it. He grabbed his crutches and pulled himself up, making his way to his bedroom before Niall even returned.

He locked the door behind him because there was no denying his intentions right now. He felt a momentary pang of guilt at wanking in what was technically Zayn’s bed, but surely Zayn had done the same in his by now. 

His main source of guilt came from the fact that he was about to wank to thoughts of his best friend’s scent and what Louis must look like as he stripped off his sweaty shorts to reveal his perfect rounded arse just before stepping beneath the spray. 

Harry groaned and began fumbling through the bag of toiletries he’d brought from home until finally finding his lube. Stretching out across the bed, he let his fantasies take flight.

Closing his eyes, he pictured Louis softly opening the bedroom door, wearing only a towel slung around his hips. His eyes, his beautiful blue eyes, hooded with desire for him as he walked over to the bed before letting the towel slip to the floor. 

He’d be lying if he said this was the first time he’d fantasised about Louis. He had been fantasising about him for so long now that he couldn’t remember a time when he hadn’t been fantasising about Louis.

But he had never felt quite this desperate for it. 

Must have something to do with Louis’ constant presence, he thought, as he quickened the pace of his hand around his cock. Constantly assaulted with his sweet scent, constantly seeing him in various states of undress. 

He continued the fantasy.

Louis climbing onto the bed, straddling him. Harry with perfectly unbroken bones able to flip him onto his back, pinning him to the bed.

Harry pushed himself into the circle of his fist, wishing it wasn’t his own hand. He felt the pressure at the base of his cock and knew he was almost there, his knot beginning to form.

Bam, bam, bam. Three sharp taps at the door made his hand slip through the lube and his breath catch in his chest.

Louis’ muffled voice came through the door. “Hazza, your door’s locked. Sorry if you were sleeping, but we need you to help us with the roast.”

“Be right there,” he groaned as he spilled into his fist.

Fuck. He tried to take a few deep calming breaths. This was definitely one of the hazards of being in love with his best friend all his life. He had to stop doing this. He had to stop wanking to thoughts of Louis at least whilst he was living with him. 

His resolve didn’t last long.

  
  


By the third week he had spent living with Niall and Louis, it was clear his friends had given up a bit on staying in with him. It wasn’t that he couldn’t get around at all, but it was such a pain in the arse to haul himself around like this. And drinking whilst on crutches didn’t seem like a very smart idea. 

They hadn’t seen much of Liam and Zayn this week, which maybe wasn’t so odd. It wasn’t like he and Liam spent tons of time in Louis’ flat on a regular basis. He continued to ponder this though until Niall emerged from the bathroom with his hair carefully styled, clearly ready for a night out.

“See ya, Harry!” Niall called out as he walked out the door. 

“Have fun.”

Vaguely, he wondered what he’d do to entertain himself with everyone out when Louis wandered into the living room wearing a t-shirt a few sizes too large for him tucked into the front of grey sweatpants that didn’t leave much to the imagination. 

And Harry already had a rather vivid imagination. 

He suppressed a moan with a fake cough. “Aren’t you going out?”

“Nah, thought I’d stay in with you. Have a proper night in. Order a pizza, make some popcorn, watch something on the telly or Netflix or whatever.”

Harry couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. “Sounds good to me, Lou.”

Louis plopped onto the sofa next to him and pressed a finger into his cheek. “Good to see your dimples again, Hazza. Was afraid they’d permanently flattened out.”

“Have I been that whingy?”

Louis pulled a face. 

“Heyyy—” Harry hit him in the chest with a pillow. “I’m injured, you know.”

“I know, I know.” Louis held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “It’s why I’ve stayed home to take care of you, haven’t I? Now what do you feel like having on your pizza? I don’t mind what we have as long as it’s not pineapple.”

“But Lou—”

“I said, no, Hazza. Fruit does not belong on pizza. It’s sacreligious.”

“Is it now? So your religion is pizza related?”

“Yes, Pizzanism. We worship only savory pizzas.”

Nothing could have stopped the honk of laughter that erupted out of Harry. It’s the most ludicrous sound in the world as far as Harry was concerned, but he couldn’t ever seem to stifle it in time. Louis never minded anyway. He seemed to enjoy Harry finding him so hilarious. 

“Fine. Let’s go with double cheese and pepperoni.”

“Jalapeños?”

“Sounds good.”

By the time they’d finished eating the pizza, they were well into an episode of W1A. 

Louis popped the popcorn, and they shared from the same bowl, tucked in beside each other on the sofa. They’d both fallen asleep well into their marathon of W1A when Niall’s arrival home woke them up.

Louis’ head had been in Harry’s lap as he slept, but he shot right up at the sound of Niall’s voice. 

“You guys should have come out. Tonight was sick! And Louis, I think our little plan with Zayn is beginning to work.”

“What little plan?” Harry asked, his voice still rough from sleep.

Louis shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

When Louis stood up and away from him, he suddenly noticed just how hard he was in his pants from having Louis so close from where he’d like to have him on a more permanent basis. Louis’ eyes flicked down to his bulge. Fuck, apparently it was obvious.

Louis scurried off after Niall probably to talk about Zayn, leaving Harry to both wonder what their plan was and also to wonder whether he could hobble to the bedroom when he was this hard.

  
  


“Hey, Hazza. How was work?”

“Fine.” He took off his bag and set it next to the door. He made it over to the sofa and carefully lowered himself onto it with a sigh and just a slight cringe. When he looked up, it was to Louis’ concerned face across the room.

“You okay, Haz?”

“Mm. Yeah. Just need to prop it up.” 

Louis crossed the room before Harry could do much of anything and grabbed a few small pillows to help prop up his leg. And then took one larger one to prop up behind Harry’s back. “There. Want some tea?”

“Thanks, Lou.” His heart fluttered a bit just at these small acts of care. He knew Louis was just doing what any friend would do, but his alpha couldn’t help but make more of it than it probably was. 

“Just rest up. I’ll make pasta.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Louis had barely had time to begin when Niall appeared. “Whatcha making?”

“Pasta with olive oil and garlic and parmesan. Some pepper. Maybe I’ll fry up some bacon to crumble into it.”

Niall shot Harry a thumbs up from where he was standing in the kitchen with Louis. “Wow, sounds delicious. Since when do you cook like this?”

“Shut up. I’m a good omega, Neil. I can cook.”

“You mean, you know only what Harry has taught you the last few weeks?”

“Yes. Now fuck off or no pasta for you.”

Niall let out a cackle, but made his way out of the kitchen. “Gonna take a shower. Call me when it’s ready!”

Harry felt the stress of the day melt away as he watched Louis cook for him. If Niall hadn’t been there, it would have felt even more like Louis was his omega. Maybe it was best that Niall was there if that’s where his thoughts were headed. Niall made for the best buffer to Harry’s improbable dreams.

So of course, with Harry’s luck being what it was, that was when he discovered Niall was leaving for Ireland.

  
  


“He’ll only be gone a week, Hazza. Don’t know why you’re so mardy about Neil leaving. You’ve still got me, haven’t you?”

“Not mardy. Just—I don’t know.”

“Are you poorly?” Louis immediately rushed to his side and put a hand to his forehead. 

“Maybe? I guess my throat hurts a little?” His throat didn’t hurt. 

Louis snapped his fingers and turned on his heel. “Don’t worry, Hazza. Gonna make you some tea with honey. Go sit on the sofa. My mum always sends me herbal teas for when I’m poorly.”

Harry just helplessly watched Louis as he rummaged through the kitchen cupboards, prattling on about how shit herbal teas were. Niall had only been gone a few hours and Harry was already living his dream life, Louis fussing over him and all of Louis’ attention focused on him. It was addictive. 

Louis might be known in their circle of friends as the one who liked to have everyone’s attention, but Harry was the one who always liked to have just one person’s attention. 

“Here you go. Put in lots of honey for your scratchy throat. Your voice is deep enough already.”

Harry’s eyes shot to Louis’. He looked as surprised as Harry felt that he’d said something about Harry’s voice. “Thanks, Lou.”

Louis scooted in on the sofa with his own cup of tea. They were entirely too close for Harry’s comfort, but nothing could have forced him to move away. Maybe he should just give in. Just for this one week, he’d let himself sink into the role of being Louis’ alpha. 

  
  


Where the hell was his Rolling Stones t-shirt? With a shrug, he assumed he must have left it behind at home. It was a bit odd though that he had forgotten to pack his favorite shirt. He was almost sure he’d packed it. 

He shrugged on a plain blue t-shirt and made his way out into the kitchen where he already heard pots and pans rattling. 

“Lou? You going in early to work today? I could catch an Uber or something.”

“No! No, I’m not going in early. Just thought you might want an egg white omelet for breakfast.”

“Oh. Ehm—sure. Sounds delicious.”

“Good.” Louis plated the omelet and set it before him with a piece of toast and a cup of tea. 

He took a bite and moaned. “So good, Lou. Did you use gouda cheese?”

“Mm. Yeah. I did.”

Glancing up at Louis, he found him staring right back. Harry smiled. “You’re really good at this you know. Cooking, I mean.”

Louis’ cheeks flushed a pretty pink colour at the compliment. “Thanks. I suppose when you leave, we won’t have to survive on so much take away anymore.”

Harry’s heart sank a bit at the reminder. If all went well with his leg, he’d be back at home in two and a half weeks. 

“So are you sure you don’t need me to take you to your appointment today?”

“No, I’ll be fine taking an Uber.” Harry took the last bite of his toast. 

Louis' lips turned down in a grimace as if he didn’t believe Harry would actually be fine taking an Uber on his own. “If you’re sure—”

“Lou, it’s just a dentist appointment.” Louis’ concern made him smile a bit though as he took his crutches and stood up from the table.

“Oh, um—” Louis cleared his throat. “I made you a lunch. Just leftovers from dinner last night and a few other things. We have a lot of leftovers since Niall’s not here to eat it all.”

He needed to not think about this all too much. Louis was just being kind and thoughtful to an injured friend, nothing more. “Thanks, Lou.”

  
  


After work the next day, Harry found that his dirty laundry was a lot less than expected. He always kept Thursdays as his laundry day, but there wasn’t nearly as much in his basket as there had been last Thursday. And where was the blue t-shirt he’d worn yesterday? 

He would blame the pain medication, but he stopped taking that ages ago now. So strange. He carefully lowered himself to the ground to check under the bed. There was nothing there, but now he was pretty sure—yep, definitely not easy to get from this position. 

Louis found him there, straining to pull himself up off the floor.

“What are you doing?”

“Was looking for my blue t-shirt.”

“Let me help you up.” Louis helped haul him up off the floor. “You should have called me to come look for it.”

“Yeah, probably. Just don’t know where it is.”

Louis coughed. “Well, I’ll let you know if I see it.”

Harry turned away to put all the clothes from the basket into a bag he could carry. 

“Let me.” Louis grabbed the basket and brought it into the kitchen for him. 

Louis hopped up on the counter just watching him as he put in the washing powder. There was a different hum between them now, electric and warm. Harry could feel it. He supposed it came from living together. They’d always been close friends, best friends. But they’d never lived together just for the sake of not giving anyone the wrong impression about them, especially any potential love interests. 

He wondered if Louis could feel it, too. As Louis sat there on the counter, just quietly spending time with him, he wondered if maybe he did.

Later, when he went to fold his clothes, it seemed like even less clothing than what he’d put in. It was honestly the strangest thing.

  
  


When Niall returned home on Sunday night, Harry had never been so relieved to see anyone in his life. If he could have run to give him a hug, he would have. 

“I smell a roast!” Niall said, delighted as he set down a bag just inside the door. “Harry moving in has been the best thing that’s ever happened to us, Lou! Let’s tell Zayn not to come back.”

Louis smirked from his spot on the sofa, scrolling through his phone. “Zayn doesn’t seem to miss us too much anyway.”

Harry was tired of the innuendo. “So are they fucking or what?”

“Harold!” Niall held a hand to his chest like a Victorian omega. “How crude!”

“Neither of you were too subtle about pushing them together.”

Niall’s lips pursed. “Never mind, let’s kick Harry out.”

“Heyyy—” Harry made his way to Niall and laid a head on his shoulder as best he could with his crutches in the way. “Would you kick out an injured alpha? Leaving him to fend for himself on the wicked streets of Manchester?”

Niall snorted. “Better an alpha than a beta. BETA RIGHTS! Oh right, Zayn’s not here to high five me about betas.”

Harry glanced at Louis, certain he’d see him rolling his eyes at Niall. That’s not what he found on Louis’ face though. He looked—upset. What had changed his mood all of a sudden? A waft of Louis’ scent hit him, but it was off somehow. Not the usual warm cinnamon and rose but instead the same scents in a more acrid form.

He had literally never smelled this scent from Louis in the five years since he’d presented. 

Louis jumped off the sofa and stormed into his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

Niall looked as bewildered as Harry felt. “What the fuck was that all about?”

When Liam and Zayn showed up for Sunday roast dinner, Louis still hadn’t come out of his bedroom. 

“Where’s Lou?” Liam immediately demanded. He then held up he and Zayn’s entwined fingers with a huge grin. “We have news.”

Harry hobbled over to give one armed hugs to them both. “Congrats, you two. Knew you’d both figure it out sooner or later.”

“Yeah, well. I guess I needed a little bit of a push,” Zayn admitted as he shoved Niall. “You’re still a wanker though.”

“You’re _welcome_.” Niall gave each of them hugs. “Dunno what’s going on with Lou. Lost the plot and stormed off an hour ago. Been locked up in his room ever since.”

“What’d you do?” Zayn accused.

“Nothing! I’d been home for all of five minutes! Maybe it’s Harry’s fault!”

“Louis never gets pissed off at Harry.” Zayn made a rude noise. “I’ll go see what’s wrong.”

Harry went to check on the roast. The flat wasn’t very large, so it was quite easy to hear Zayn’s side of the conversation as he certainly wasn’t being very quiet about it.

“Alright, Lou? Wait, what?”

There was a pause with a voice too quiet to hear through a door, and then Zayn’s voice again.

“Lou, what the fuck, mate? How can that even be? Isn’t that—impossible? I mean, I know I’m not an omega, but nearly my entire family are—”

Another pause.

“Fucking hell, Louis. Only you would figure out your shit in such a dramatic way. What do you need, mate? What should I get you?” 

Zayn laughed at whatever Louis’ response was. 

“I know better than to do that, mate. I’ll be right back.”

When Zayn reentered the kitchen it was to three faces looking at him expectantly. “Oh. Um—so funny story. Louis is in heat.”

“What—”

“What?”

“WHAT?”

“Yeah, so I’m gonna bring him some supplies and get the fuck out of here.”

“I’m confused.”

“But the roast!”

“He needs me.”

“Slow down there, cowboy.” Zayn put a hand to Harry’s chest, blocking his way to Louis’ bedroom. “He doesn’t need a rescue, and you’ve got a broken leg. And I think we both know, you better let me be the one to bring him some stuff to help him get through it.”

The growl that emerged from Harry had Liam in front of him in an instant. “Don’t do this, Harry.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Harry put a hand over his face. “I know he didn’t mean it the way my alpha took it.”

Zayn rolled his eyes. “I’m going to get him some food and water, knothead. Louis knows how to get through a heat on his own, even though this one is a bit—unexpected.”

Harry sat back down at the kitchen table and Niall and Liam joined him. Zayn gathered up some bottled water and a bag of snacks and returned a few minutes later. He had an odd look on his face now as he stared at Harry. 

“So Liam and I should probably get going.” Zayn’s look grew a bit harder. “I assume we can trust you not to break down the door.”

Harry rolled his eyes. 

“Niall will be here anyway,” Liam said.

Zayn gave him one last hard stare before he and Liam left.

“Well, this is some real weird shit, Harry.” Niall looked a bit shell shocked. “So does this mean—”

“I don’t know.”

“But I mean—I know it doesn’t happen very often, but Lou must be your—”

Harry could hardly speak the word. It was too much to hope for, more than he’d ever dreamed possible. 

“Soulmate,” he whispered. 

Harry could tell when Louis’ heat had truly kicked in. 

He’d already had a hard time falling asleep knowing that his omega was in heat and in the bedroom next to him. By three in the morning, Louis had grown loud enough that Harry could hear him through the wall. 

Scrambling out of bed was a mistake because he’d forgotten about his leg and ended up crashing to the floor. “For fuck’s sake.”

He listened for a moment to make sure he hadn’t awoken Niall, but all was quiet except for the moans coming from Louis’ bedroom. Lying there on the floor, wide awake now, he listened to Louis and wondered how they’d ended up here. Was there any other possible explanation other than that Louis had accepted that Harry was his true mate?

There were always stories of course about soulmates, but they were so rare that almost no one expected to be one of the few destined to be one half of another’s soul. Unless Louis had gone off his suppressants for some reason, there was no other possibility that his heat would come unexpectedly except for that he had accepted an alpha as his soulmate and had the alpha accept the same. 

There in the darkness with his omega needing him, Harry knew he’d always known Louis was his. His to care for, his to protect, his to love. Did Louis finally feel the same way in return?

He drug himself over to the wall between them, resting his head against it. “Fuck, baby. It’s so hard to hear you like this.”

There was a whine that seemed louder than before. 

“Lou? Can you hear me?”

The whining got louder.

“Oh, baby, I wish I could be there for you. I’d take such good care of you, Lou. Just like I always have, only better. If I were there with you, I’d do anything—”

“Like what?” Louis asked, his voice scratched raw with his moans.

Harry’s heart pounded heavily in his chest. 

“Fuck, Lou. I’d—” He took a breath. “I’d lay you back on the bed, replacing your fingers with mine. Can you touch yourself for me? Just like I would?”

Louis didn’t speak, just groaned in response. 

“I’d prop you up on so many pillows, make you as comfortable as I could. Then, I’d lick you clean.”

The whimpers on the other side of the wall grew louder.

“And then, when you were ready, I’d spread your gorgeous thighs to take myself further inside you, let my knot fill you up, just where you need it.”

“Please—please,” Louis begged.

“While we’re joined, I’d touch you until you came, calling my name. I’d hold you so close, closer than anyone else ever has. Not just my body, Lou. In my heart, in my mind, everywhere you’ve always been.”

He heard the gasp and the much louder cry and knew Louis had come, listening to how Harry would be his alpha, if he’d let him. 

The room next to his was quiet then. Perhaps, Louis would be able to rest a while before the next wave of his heat hit him. 

Harry drug himself back to his bed and took his phone off the charger, sending an email to his boss that he wouldn’t be in for a few days. If this was the only way to help his omega, so be it.

  
  


Harry slept the entire next day after Louis’ heat ended. 

He’d only left his bedroom to eat and use the loo, and whilst he and Niall hadn’t discussed what he was doing, he was fairly certain Niall knew. He’d only slept when Louis slept.

Unfortunately, this meant that when he did finally wake up, Louis wasn’t even in the flat. 

“Did he say where he was going?”

Niall shook his head. “No, mate. Sorry. He ate brekkie with me and didn’t say a whole lot. Wasn’t sure if I should say anything about the whole _you wanted Harry so bad you went into heat and found out you’re soulmates_ situation.”

Harry snorted.

“And then I went to get dressed, and he was gone when I came back out of my bedroom.” 

With a sigh, he sat down in the kitchen chair across from Niall. It wasn’t like he was in any position to chase Louis all over town. 

Niall slurped down the rest of his tea. “So you about ready to go?”

“Go where?”

“You’re getting your cast off today. We gotta get going, mate.” 

“Oh. Right.”

As he dressed for his appointment, he could hardly believe it had been six weeks since he’d moved in with Louis and Niall, and his entire world has been turned upside down. His mind was a mess, and he was still tired, and Louis—where had Louis even gone? 

Harry checked his phone again, but there sat all his unanswered text messages. They’d have to sort everything out after he got this bloody cast off. 

When he and Niall walked back into the flat, this time with Harry in a walking boot, they could tell Louis was home. His trainers sat beside the door, his jacket thrown half-hazardly across the sofa. 

Niall’s eyes were big as saucers. Harry felt like his heart might actually pound out of his chest right now. He took a few steps into the kitchen and tried to catch his breath before he went to talk to Louis who must be in his bedroom. 

That’s when his eye caught on something beside the dust bin, a crumpled up piece of paper that hadn’t made it inside. When he unfolded it, it was clearly in Louis’ handwriting. There was no mistaking his chicken scratch. 

But all it said was:

_Alpha,_

_I know I haven’t known long, but—_

Harry opened the dust bin. There were more papers that he grabbed out, smoothing them as quickly as he could to read the words.

_Alpha,_

_I don’t know how to say this. But I love you—_

And another…

_Alpha,_

_Do you even understand what’s happened? Do you feel the same way I do?_

He collapsed into a chair, not sure his legs could keep him upright. Louis had addressed his alpha, but he hadn’t said it was Harry. Was it possible there was someone else? Someone he doesn’t know about? He’d been wrong before about his and Louis’ friendship. No matter how close he thought he was to Louis, there had been times to remind him that they weren’t as close as he’d thought they were. The day he learned Louis was an omega flashes through his mind.

“What are you sitting here for?” Niall demanded. “Go get your soulmate, Harry!”

“What if—what if he means someone else?”

“You absolute idiot. Of course, he means you. Get the fuck up and go talk to Louis. It’s clear he’s a bit unsure about you by the look of these letters.”

He looked at Niall hopefully. “Yeah?”

“Yeah! Now go for it, and I’m gonna leave. See you tomorrow—or maybe in a week. I don’t know that I want to come back any sooner than that to be honest.”

As soon as the door shut behind Niall, he made his way to the closed door of Louis’ bedroom. For one brief moment, he rested his head against the door and then knocked.

“Lou? Can I come in?”

There was a pause, and then a raspy, “yeah.”

He was wholly unprepared for the sight that met his eyes when he opened the door. There sat Louis in the middle of his bed, a soft nest surrounding him and his eyes bright with emotion. His soft scent filled the room, but there was something more to it.

“Hi, Hazza.”

Harry entered the room slowly, unable to take his eyes off the gorgeous boy on the bed. Any possibility that Louis wasn’t his omega left as soon as his eyes finally took note of what made up Louis’ nest. Entwined in his blanket that had gone missing last week was his Rolling Stones t-shirt and his blue t-shirt and was that one of his pillows?

Louis seemed to notice where his eyes had landed. “Are you surprised?”

“Oh, baby, no. Not surprised. I was always yours. Just had to wait a bit for you to be mine.”

“Yeah?” A watery smile crossed the most beloved face in Harry’s world.

“Yeah, Lou. Been in love with you my whole life. As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved you. I just knew you didn’t feel the same.”

“Christ, I’ve been such an idiot not to see it,” Louis choked out with a laugh. “Come here, Hazza.”

Harry hesitated. “In your nest? I know most omegas are pretty careful about who can see their nest much less be inside it.”

“I think I can make an exception for my soulmate.”

God, Harry loved the sound of that word. He climbed into the bed, careful not to disturb his nest, and he realised that wrapped around Louis’ scent in his nest was his own scent from the clothing Louis had taken.

“It’s okay, Hazza. I’m not in heat anymore. Not gonna freak out if things get a little—messy.”

Harry licked his lips. “Messy? Now why would things get messy?”

Louis rolled his eyes. “Hazza, don’t make me say it.”

Harry put a finger to his chin as if deep in thought. “I think I should.”

“Harryyyy,” Louis whined, reaching for him. “Don’t make me beg.”

Harry laughed and then winced as he tried to climb into the nest, which Louis noticed.

“Never mind. Just lay back. You’re injured.”

“I’m fine. Walking boot now, see? All better.”

“You’re not all better. You’re wearing a fucking boot in my bed, and I’m going to let you because you’re injured and I have to take care of you—alpha.”

“Is that right?”

Louis pushed him back onto the pillows. “Mhm. I’m going to take care of you as well as you’ve been taking care of me all these years.”

With this promise, Louis climbed on top of him straddling his waist. He could already smell the more intense scent of Louis’ slick.

Harry grinned. “Of all the times I have fantasised about the moment I’d get to kiss you, none of them were ever me with a broken leg next to your nest with you on top of me.”

“Should we wait—”

“No!” Harry pulled Louis by his shirt so that no space existed between them. “Sorry. Waited long enough.”

Louis laughed as he moved forward against Harry’s lips, a smile pressed to his own. And it was like nothing else Harry had ever experienced. The electric hum between them sparked into something that he felt from the tips of his toes to the nape of his neck.

Louis pulled back with a gasp, his eyes wide. “Wow.”

“Yeah.” But Harry wanted more. He pulled Louis back into a kiss, deeper this time, chasing the sparks now. Louis had always been his addiction, but now he could satisfy his craving. His hands roved over Louis’ body, touching him the way he’d always dreamed, but it was so much better than any dream.

Louis moved against his body, just as caught up in the passion between them as Harry was. Louis’ fingers entwined into his hair as he rocked his body against Harry. Harry released his lips to press them against Louis’ neck as he whimpered and became completely pliant in his arms. “Please, please.”

“Thought you weren’t going to beg.”

Louis strained to keep his neck displayed for Harry. “Changed my mind.”

There were entirely too many clothes between them, which Louis seemed to notice at the same time as Harry. He tore his shirt up and over his head and began rucking up Harry’s shirt, pressing kisses across his chest. 

“Feels like you’re trying to ravish me,” Harry said, amused.

“Oh, that’s definitely the plan.” Louis slid down his body to begin working on Harry’s shorts. Once he had Harry undressed, he quickly threw off the rest of his own clothing. 

“Wish I could have done that,” Harry mumbled against Louis’ lips. “Undress you slowly. Kiss every inch of your body.”

Louis shivered in his arms. “We’ll get to that someday soon. Today, we’re going to go with me ripping off our clothes and riding your knot. Sound okay to you?”

Harry nearly choked on his tongue. “Yes! Yes, good—fine—on board.”

With a smirk, Louis reached into his bedside table for a condom. 

Harry’s hands began to roam again, finding Louis so wet for him that he had no doubt they would fit perfectly together. He let Louis slide the condom over him and then watched in awe as Louis began to slowly sink onto him. Inch by inch, an act done in love that Harry had never experienced. It was more than sex, it was a revelation.

Tears spilled down Louis’ cheeks and for a moment he’d thought he was in pain, but then he understood. It was the act of soulmates joining together for the first time. And it was an extraordinary and overwhelming sensation. 

Even as Harry pressed up into Louis, taking control of the pace, Louis whispered the words Harry had always longed to hear.

“Alpha, you’re my alpha.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Epilogue: The Afterglow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god. What am I even doing? This is very self-indulgent. I wrote this epilogue-type-ish thing as a comfort thing for myself. I hope I'm not ruining the fic by tacking this on to it. But just in case this fluffy whatever this is comforts someone else, I'm going to go ahead and put it here. This epilogue is un-betad because I was afraid to tell my beta I wrote this because I'm supposed to be writing something else. lol. And it's un-Brit picked because it was just supposed to be for myself, so all errors are my own. So here is two and a half thousand more words of this universe for no real reason. Hope you enjoy it! <3

“Mate me.”

Louis sat in an intricately made nest of Harry’s clothes and watched as Harry froze in place on his way out of their bedroom.

Harry turned around, an incredulous look on his face that quickly turned to something else. His impending heat addled his brain enough that it took a moment to identify the emotion on Harry’s face as anger. In his defense, he was fairly certain he’d never actually seen Harry look at him in anger.

With his jaw twitching and his hands in fists at his sides, Harry took one step back into the room. “Do—not—joke about mating with me.” Harry turned on his heel and out of the room.

Louis stared after him, wide eyed, and then scrambled out of his nest to chase after him. He found him in the kitchen taking both Yorkshire tea and some herbal shit out of the cupboard. So clearly he was annoyed with him, but that irritation did not apparently stop Harry making him tea. His inner omega calmed a bit at the sight.

“I wasn’t joking.”

Harry’s shoulders sagged as he turned away from the kettle and faced him. “Lou, I know you don’t want to miss your birthday and Christmas with your family, and I’d give you anything if I could. You know this. And I know it’s my fault that your suppressants don’t work anymore, but—”

“Yeah, this whole soulmate thing is really overrated.” Louis rolled his eyes. “Would much rather have suppressants than a soulmate.”

“Louis—” Harry swept a hand across his face. “Please don’t push this.”

His omega began to panic a bit. Sure they were soulmates, but that didn’t mean Harry wanted to mate him or marry him or—”

Harry’s arms wrapped around him before he could get much further into the thought. 

“Lou, I can smell your anxiety. Please don’t worry. It’s not about not wanting to mate with you, I swear.” Harry pulled back a tiny bit to brush back the piece of hair that always fell in Louis’ face and kissed him on the nose. “How you could even think that I’m not sure. I’ve literally been in love with you our entire lives.”

“Then why—”

“Because I don’t want our mating to be something we do on a whim. Something just so your heat will be short, and we can go to your mum’s for Christmas. When you’re actually ready to be my mate, I want it to be special.”

Louis pulled back a bit in order to see Harry’s face. God, he was pretty. “Wait—you think I’m not ready? Are you not ready?”

Harry sighed and turned back to the tea. “Of course, I am. But like I said, I would never pressure you, and I don’t want our bonding to be accidental or impulsive.”

Louis sat at the small table in their kitchen and shook his head at his sweet, romantic, idiotic boyfriend’s back and waited for him to bring the tea over. Harry put a splash of milk in his tea and brought it to the table and sat down.

“Hazza, I would never waste a good cuppa, so I’m gonna drink this before it gets cold. Then, I’m gonna show you how far off the mark you are right now.”

Harry took a sip of his herbal whatever the fuck tea he always made himself that smelt like minty piss. “I’d rather you didn’t try and change my mind, Lou. I know you’re about to go into heat, and I’m strong enough for both of us that I won’t make any rash decisions that affect you whilst you’re under.”

Louis snorted and kept sipping his tea. Harry took being his alpha so seriously it bordered on absurd sometimes. He knew he was impulsive sometimes, but he would never be impulsive about something this important. “I’m not in heat yet, you know. I’m still fully capable of making decisions.”

“Believe me, I know you’re not in heat yet. If you were, you’d be bent over this table begging me for—”

“Oi!”

A huge sideways smirk crossed Harry’s face. “You know it’s true.”

“Don’t be so bloody smug about it. You should see yourself in rut crying over how perfect my bum is.”

“Pretty sure I do that even when I’m not in rut,” Harry said, his tongue hanging out of his mouth ridiculously. 

Louis took his final sip of tea and gathered his courage. “So I wrote you something.”

Harry stilled. “What kind of something?”

“A letter.”

Louis knew they were both thinking of the last letter Louis had written him, back when he didn’t know how to tell Harry they were soulmates. It had always touched Louis that Harry kept that letter tucked in his journal to pull out and read from time to time. Harry had made it clear how much he cherished it. 

He stood up and took Harry’s hand, pulling him to his feet, and led him back into their bedroom. With a deep breath, Louis opened the bag tossed next to the wardrobe and took out a letter addressed to Harry.

“Here.” He handed over the letter to Harry who looked like he might start crying before he even read it. Damn it, it was making Louis tear up now as well. “Well, go on then. Read it before you cry over it.”

Harry turned it over in his hands and huffed out a laugh as he sat down on their bed. “Sorry, just—sometimes I can’t believe you’re really mine, and then you go and write me something and—”

Louis stood up and tried not to pace the room as Harry read it. When he’d written it, he’d had no idea when he’d actually give it to Harry or what circumstances would lead him to feel secure enough to tell show everything he’d held in his heart. What he did know is that he hadn’t intended to go into the new year unmated. 

Harry’s eyes scanned over the words, reading all that Louis had put into it. His heart thumped in his chest as he glanced over at the paper catching a glimpse of what he’d written.

_ I never cared for love, Hazza, but I’m not scared of it anymore. I need you more than I’ve ever needed anyone, but I don’t care because our love is so strong I know there’s no end to it. We were destined for each other by fate, but that’s not why I trust you to hold onto my heart and keep it safe. You’ve always been my best friend, and we’ve always proved our trust in each other over and over in a million little ways that all add up to wanting to be your mate, bonded together for life. The only thing I’m sorry for is that it took me so long to catch up with you, which is why I want to be the one who asks you to join us in the most visceral way so that everyone knows we belong to each other.  _

Harry wiped at his eyes unashamedly, a sheepish smile on his handsome face. “Fuck, Lou. I love you so much. I’ve always loved you so much. I wish I had the words to explain how much. I—I’ve been waiting for the day you wanted to be bonded, and I have something for you. I’m sorry I was so against it when you said you wanted to, but—”

Louis took Harry’s face in his hands and looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry I said it the way I did. Got a little nervous to be honest. Knew I had this letter and didn’t know how to give it to you. Thought maybe I’d wait until Christmas, but I knew I’d be completely in heat by then.”

Harry stood up and raised a finger. “Just—wait here a second.” 

Before Louis could think much on what Harry must be doing, he was back, something shiny between his fingers. Harry dropped to his knees in front of him. “Louis Tomlinson, you’re the love of my life. I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t love and adore you. Will you marry me?”

Louis startled into a laugh. “Hazza! What the fuck! Where’ve you been hiding a ring?”

Harry grinned. “In the washing powder. Knew you’d never look there seeing as how you never do laundry.”

“Oi!”

“Was  _ oi _ your answer to my proposal?”

Louis threw his arms around Harry’s neck and kissed every inch of his ridiculous face. “Love you. Love you. Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

In the next instant, Harry let out a growl, and Louis found himself on his back pinned to the bed. One of Louis’ wrists was released only long enough for Harry to slide the ring on his finger before Harry loomed over him again.

Louis whimpered in submission in a way he only did when he was close to his heat. He had to admit he enjoyed the almost feral look on Harry’s face when he did it. But before it went any further, he wanted to be sure they were on the same page.

“You look like you’re about to eat me.”

Harry licked his lips. “That’s one of the things on my agenda. But first, I’m going to make you mine.”

“Wait!”

Harry stilled, his demeanor instantly changing into one of concern. “What? I thought you wanted—”

“I do! I do. But Harry I don’t want you to mate me just because I want it. It has to be your decision as well. I’d never want you to bond with me if you don’t think the timing is right.”

“Lou, I just asked you to marry me. I even said I’ve literally been waiting for the day you’d want to mate with me.” Harry shook his head, a fond look on his face now. “Do you know when I knew I wanted to bond with you?”

“Um, when you broke your leg and moved in with us?”

Harry snorted. “When you didn’t show up to class in sixth form and Zayn told me you’d presented as an omega, that’s when I knew I wanted to bond with you. Because then I knew it was possible. If you’d been an alpha or a beta, I would have been fine with just marriage, but knowing you were an omega meant that a bond between us was possible. That’s how long I’ve wanted to be mated to you.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Louis snuggled back against the pillows. “Well, then—proceed.”

Harry honked out an absurd laugh and captured Louis’ lips as they both smiled into the kiss. The passion they’d found in each other had been intense from the start, but now it ebbed and flowed in the natural rhythms of a relationship. And now, that passion was at its peak.

Harry pressed his body against him and leaned up from the kiss to look into his eyes. Louis searched the green and gold for the love he always found there, staring back at him. His skin began to tingle under his gaze, and he knew he wasn’t far from the heat that would envelop him. “Please.”

Long fingers brushed back his slightly too shaggy hair as soft lips pressed feather light against his lips. He startled as those fingers found the bottom of his jumper and began to slowly lift up his body, knuckles dragging across his sensitised skin. His breathing quickened as Harry lifted it up and over his head, replacing his lips and tongue and teeth where they’d once been fabric. 

Harry burned a trail of fire across his chest and ribs, his fingertips gliding over his nipples until Louis gasped for more. The fingertips left him then, but only for a moment until they were sliding his joggers down over his arse as Harry nosed along his neck, scenting him. 

A spicy, sweet scent filled his nose, a combination uniquely theirs. He turned over in Harry’s hands as his joggers were taken completely off his body, fingertips gliding back up his thighs as slick began to seep out of him. A low groan from Harry had Louis smiling into the pillow. 

One finger traced the length of his spine, and he arched into the touch as it reached his slick. When Harry’s tongue replaced his finger, they both moaned. Slick ran down his thighs now as Harry’s tongue plunged in and out and lapped at him. He squirmed until Harry’s large hands pressed his hips into the bed.

Cool air hit his skin as Harry pulled away from him to tug off his own clothes. Louis rutted against the bed a few times until he returned, but then, Harry’s hands clutched at his waist to pull him into position. The slick heat of Harry’s hand wrapped around his cock as Harry eased inside him. 

He moaned Harry’s name in time with each slow slide into his body. Harry plastered himself to Louis back as he pumped in and out, steady and deliberate with his movements. Louis panted as Harry kissed and licked and nipped at his shoulder and neck.

“Please, Harry, please.”

The tenseness in Harry’s movements began to waver, and he began to thrust deeper, faster until Louis gave in to the pleasure. At Louis’ release, Harry’s knot began to swell inside him, and Louis arched his neck back in invitation. Harry licked one long line against his mating spot, his teeth grazing over it as Louis whimpered. Louis clutched at Harry as best he could, urging him on as Harry leaned in again.

Harry’s teeth sank into him then causing him to gasp in momentary pain that quickly turned to something much more than pleasure. Everything in him intensified, his love for Harry, his happiness, his fulfillment. And he could feel it echoed back through the bond. 

  
  


Louis opened his heavy eyelids to the sight of the afternoon sun’s dying light shining through their bedroom window. Harry snored, his face pressed to Louis' chest, and his limbs wrapped around him like an octopus. Memories of their mating flooded his mind, and he felt the warmth of the bond between them as he smiled and threaded his fingers through the silken strands of Harry’s curls. 

“Hey.” Harry lifted his lips to Louis’ in an exaggerated pout.

Louis giggled a bit at his face before kissing him. 

“Happy birthday, Lou.”

His eyes opened wide. “My heat’s over.” He’d never had such a short one before, but he was glad of it. Glad to be able to spend Christmas with his family.

“Mhm. Happy Christmas. I’ve given you the gift of my cock and a mating bond.”

Louis snorted and held up his hand. “And an engagement ring.”

“And a ring,” Harry agreed. “Lucky for you, you have an alpha who has taken care of everything.”

Louis smiled and pressed a kiss to one of Harry’s ridiculous dimples. “Lucky.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading my fic! This isn't one I had intended to write, but I needed something to get me going again. Emmu's birthday seemed like a good reason to write it! Hope you liked it!
> 
> If you enjoyed the fic, please leave kudos and comments! And if you reblog the tumblr post [here](https://allwaswell16.tumblr.com/post/623715818331602944/w-a-i-t-i-n-g-by-allwaswell16-for) or retweet the tweet [here](https://twitter.com/all_was_well_16/status/1283403738225549314?s=20), I will love you forever. <3


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